Attending an Alaska college will enable you to enjoy Canada's Rocky Mountain Playground. Outdoors lovers will find no end of things to do, from daredevil pursuits like helicopter skiing and ice-climbing to the more peaceful activities of hiking, fly fishing, and backpacking. Whatever your interest, you are sure to find attending college in Alaska to be an unforgettable experience.

Occupational therapy and physical therapy focus on helping people get back on their feet, sometimes literally. After an accident or debilitating illness, some patients discover that they can't perform many of the routine functions to which they were accustomed. An occupational or physical therapist will help patients slowly rebuild atrophied muscles, increase range of movement, strengthen weakened bones, and overcome various psychological or emotional hurdles whenever necessary. Rehabilitation is usually a very slow process, and as such, those who want to become an occupational therapist or physical therapist must develop tremendous patience and understanding.

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Programs

Physical therapy is a regulated profession that requires licensing and certification. As such, most clinics will only hire those who have graduated from rehabilitation and therapeutic programs. In these programs, one typically learns medicine, anatomy, physiology, massage therapy, physical therapy, heat therapy, hydrotherapy, diet & nutrition, yoga, chiropractic medicine, counseling, psychology, plus so much more. Because injuries and illnesses come in all shapes and sizes, a competent physical therapist must have a wide range of disciplines under his or her belt in order to provide optimal care to patients.

Job Outlook for Physical Therapy

According to the US Department of Labor, career opportunities for this particular occupational group will grow much faster than the national average for most other occupations. Like many professions in health care, physical therapists will enjoy extremely favorable growth as baby boomers transition into old age and retirement. Suffice to say that the current median salary of $60,000 a year will rise accordingly as demand for more physical therapists increases.